Maybe Dave can move this up to the Power Boats section, but I am also building the Malahini and planning on using 4x8 sheets.

The Bill of Materials calls out 1/4 " ply sides, 3' wide, 18' long and 3/8" ply 3' wide, 16' long for the bottom.

At this point I am figuring butt joints for the bottom, so the 3' x 16' called for would amount to 2 sheets each side for the bottom and be enough. The sides will need 2+ sheets each side, so I am figuring 5 sheets (2 1/2) each side to make the 18'.

The extra width cutoff 3/8" ply can be used for the floor stiffeners called for in the plans. Also, on Sheet 3 of the plans in the upper left corner Glen spells out where the butt joints in the bottom and side planking should be.

I haven't tried my hand at scarfing ply to make a full length sheet but I may try on this one...especially if I find some nice looking stuff for the sides and I don't want the butt joint to show if I finish bright.

I think it's going to take more than 5. I just got some cardbard that I am going to try and make a template from to help me decide whether I should get 5x10 or 4x8 or a combination of both. FYI, I spent a lot of time working on the length issue and totally over-looked the width issue. You might go back and stick a tape measure to it to see what I mean. Doesn't look like you can get both sides out of a 4' width, or 5' for that matter.

I'm going to scarf all of my joints so I will loose a little on the length of each sheet.

Hopefully I will get to it this weekend. I'll post my findings. Looks like there are at least three of us building the Malahini right now...although I am on the really slow extended build plan.

Sweet!

Bill

I told my wife we needed a three-car garage for my projects...she told me to ask her for permission next time before I buy a house.http://www.unitybuild.net

I figured it would probably take 5 sheets of 4X8 unless there was a creative way to fit the pieces and I also considered using cardboard templates to see exactly what would fit. I guess if I could get Doug Hodder's email address I could find out how many he used.

On a similar note, I originally was going to scarf the panels but in playing with scarf joints it seemed that it might be cleaner to use butt joints instead.

Wow, I can't count....I laid out the side with cardboard, went through all the measurements...and still came up with the same count. Scratched my head for an hour, looked for my beer for five minutes...discovered I was holding my beer, and that 5 sheets (4x8) or 4 sheets (4x10) total for the sides had already been established as the right count. I feel like a dufous.

The bottom is a little more tricky...if my measurements are right on, then 4 sheets (2 per half) of 2500mm (8' 2.4") scarfed will work.

Bill

I told my wife we needed a three-car garage for my projects...she told me to ask her for permission next time before I buy a house.http://www.unitybuild.net

ttownshaw wrote:Wow, I can't count....I laid out the side with cardboard, went through all the measurements...and still came up with the same count. Scratched my head for an hour, looked for my beer for five minutes...discovered I was holding my beer, and that 5 sheets (4x8) or 4 sheets (4x10) total for the sides had already been established as the right count. I feel like a dufous.

The bottom is a little more tricky...if my measurements are right on, then 4 sheets (2 per half) of 2500mm (8' 2.4") scarfed will work.